Caption: MODEL RELEASED. Eating disorder counselling. Thin woman receiving counselling or psychotherapy for an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia. The counsellor is making the patient look at herself in a mirror to correct any distorted beliefs she may have about her body shape. Besides therapy, treatments for eating disorders include supervision of the patient so that they eat properly, and drugs. Eating disorders are often caused by an irrational fear of being fat. Anore- xia nervosa is characterised by an avoidance of food, whilst sufferers of bulimia compulsively induce vomiting or take laxatives after eating. Most sufferers of these disorders are young women.